Motawi Tileworks owner Nawal Motawi beside pallets of unmixed clay in the new warehouse that will house the Motawi-owned Rovin Ceramics, 253 Dino Dr., in Ann Arbor.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

The Scio Township-based company has purchased the assets of Taylor-based Rovin Ceramics and has moved Rovin's operations to the Ann Arbor area. Rovin opened for business Monday in the 8,000-square-foot warehouse space at 253 Dino Dr., off Jackson Road west of Baker and about a mile from the tileworks studio on Enterprise Drive.

Clay production is expected to begin within a couple of days, Motawi founder Nawal Motawi said. She has a three-year lease on the warehouse.

Motawi said the purchase of Rovin moves her company closer to becoming vertically integrated, and will give her a chance to grow Rovin’s reach.

Dry glazes are organized by color on a shelf at the new Rovin Ceramics warehouse. The clay production company was recently purchased by Motawi.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

“Owning your own supply chain has advantages,” Motawi said. “We will be able to get the moisture content of the clay the way we want it, we’ll be able to control the supply and timing and we won’t be paying the mark up.”

Motawi said she also expects to increase Rovin sales: “The sale came up really fast so we don’t have specifics yet, but there’s no doubt I expect to grow the company. They have some priority recipes and we have some ideas.”

Rovin Ceramics, founded in 1957, is a leading ceramic clay supplier in Michigan and Ohio with a customer base that includes historic Pewabic Tile in Detroit, the University of Michigan, Greenfield Village, school districts and numerous individual artists. Motawi, which uses close to 100,000 pounds of clay annually, was Rovin's biggest customer.

Rovin's annual sales average between $500,000 and $1 million, Motawi said.

While Motawi had been thinking about vertical integration along with diversification for her tilemaking studio, she did not pursue the Rovin acquisition.

In February, the company’s owners came to her, saying they were ready to bow out of the business and planned on either selling or closing.

“It became an irresistible business opportunity,” Motawi said. “I could either buy their equipment or take over the whole business. I decided to take over the business," she said.

Owner Nawal Motawi with a selection of the company's tiles.

AnnArbor.com file

The tight timeline made finding space for Rovin a challenge, said Patrich Jett of Colliers International, who represented Motawi.

The location needed to be wired for heavy power, needed an overhead door or dock and needed to accommodate large trucks delivering the raw product. The space at the multi-tenant warehouse on Dino Drive had been vacant for a couple of years and is owned by Dave Hughes of Vanston/O’Brien Inc. of Dexter.

“All the space needed was a little lipstick,” Jett said. “It needed to be cleaned up, some new carpet and a new toilet.”

Motawi will transfer Motawi staff to run Rovin Ceramics, with Heather Kitson, manager of the Motawi wholesale gift tile department, heading the operation. Three other Motawi employees will be transferred to the clay company.

The operation involves buying clay from mines around the country and blending it using formulas for ceramics clay. For the past decade, Motawi has ordered a special Rovin blend for its tiles.

Motawi said she will keep the two companies separate, at least for now. She may eventually add the Motawi name to the clay company, she said.

Motawi started the handmade art and architectural tile business in her parent’s Ann Arbor garage almost 20 years ago. The tiles are sold around the country and are even included in celebrity homes.

Janet Miller is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com.